Left Top: Illustration by @lina.ilan
Top Bottom: Photo by Chris Plavidal
We got disrespectful Mahjong, we got “No Chill”, we got awards, and we got a cringy Wonder Woman! Let’s check it all out.
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Cheat Codes Have “No Chill”
Genre defying band, Cheat Codes released their newest single “No Chill” featuring rising TikTok star and rapper Lil XXEL. The single is the latest in a string of hits off Hellraiser Pt. I, the first part of their forthcoming three part album. It’s a great week for Cheat Codes fans because they will be releasing the official music video for “No Chill” this Friday, January 8th. Be sure to take a listen!
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The Mahjong Line Crosses the Line
A Dallas based company, The Mahjong Line is coming under fire for their “updates” on the centuries old Chinese tile game. Without paying proper respects to the culture and history of the game, they have essentially watered it down and are selling tile sets for $325. Their FAQ page claims to “simplify” and “refresh” the game, suggesting that the original is confusing for beginners.
To bring another layer to the story, they addressed the backlash on their about us page, “While our intent is to inspire and engage with a new generation of American mahjong players, we recognize our failure to pay proper homage to the game’s Chinese heritage. Using words like ‘refresh’ were hurtful to many and we are deeply sorry. It’s imperative our followers know we never set out to ignore or misrepresent the origins of this game and know there are more conversations to be had and steps to take as we learn and grow. We are always open to constructive criticism and are continuing to conduct conversations with those who can provide further insight to the game’s traditions and roots in both Chinese and American cultures.“
Interesting…considering they are still selling their whitewashed version of the game for, again…over $300!
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Wonder Woman 1984 Really Did Take Us Back to the 80’s,
Just Not in a Good Way
My defense of @PattyJenks & #WonderWoman1984’s usage of the body-swap trope (plus a link to Body-Swap Movies Wiki); linking respected people I follow https://t.co/4KHQyVFc80@lorebuffay @GraceRandolph @TheDCEU @GalGadot @KofiOutlaw @davidlsims pic.twitter.com/9eHTiJYR6L
— Dustin Philipson (@DustyDontshoot) December 30, 2020
My defense of @PattyJenks & #WonderWoman1984’s usage of the body-swap trope (plus a link to Body-Swap Movies Wiki); linking respected people I follow https://t.co/4KHQyVFc80@lorebuffay @GraceRandolph @TheDCEU @GalGadot @KofiOutlaw @davidlsims pic.twitter.com/9eHTiJYR6L
— Dustin Philipson (@DustyDontshoot) December 30, 2020Despite recent backlash, director and screenwriter Patty Jenkins is doubling down on some glaring mistakes in Wonder Woman 1984. The latest in the DC franchise features an overdone body-snatching trope that completely ignores the concept of consent. Essentially, Wonder Woman wishes her deceased lover, Steve, back to life. He takes over another living person’s body. Wonder Woman and Steve then ignore the autonomy of the person who owns the body. They engage in sexual activity and put the person in danger, only to later revoke the wish, so it’s all better…right?
Jenkin’s reasoning? Because the 1988 movie Big got away with it, so you know…all good. In an attempt to excuse her decisions to casually make Wonder Woman magically roofie a guy, she shared a tweet of a fan sticking up for her. We know that sequels are rarely as good as the original but, damn, Patty did us dirty.
Alliance of Women Film Journalist Announce
the Winners of the 2020 EDA Awards
Today the Alliance of Women Film Journalists announced their winners for their 2020 EDA Awards. The honor recognizes women’s achievements in front of and behind the camera in 25 categories. This year, Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland took home a whopping 6 wins, including best film and best director. Other notable wins include Promising Young Woman for best original screenplay, written by Emerald Fennell, and Soul for best animated film. Check out the complete list of winners here.
